One of the most popular à la carte services, and a popular request, is the nail trim. It is also a hygienic maintenance that is difficult for pet owners to perform because of the risk of hurting and traumatizing your loved ones. While baths, brushing, and ear cleaning between grooms is fairly easy enough and we know it doesn’t actually hurt them (though they might not like it), cutting the nails is typically the one that makes everyone nervous. If you are nervous about cutting or grinding your own dog’s nails, they will be nervous too, and sometimes it is best to bring them to a professional who will get them done before they know what hit them.
The feet are one of the most sensitive areas for any canine, and if your pet has had a bad experience involving the feet, cutting the nails may be more difficult if they do not respond well to their feet being touched. Not to mention the popular grinding of the nail (which we do!) can feel very strange and tickly to a dog who is not used to it. If your furbaby is difficult for their nails, I encourage you to give a professional or someone you trust a try, and step out of the room. They can sense your nervous tension and feed off of it, or maybe they are only difficult for their owners because they know they can whine and get away with it!
So why is it scary and sometimes traumatic for dogs to get their nails done? Its all about the quick. The quick is the fleshy center of the nail that includes the blood supply, a vein. The longer the nail grows, the longer the quick grows with it. Because of this your dog’s nails might not look a whole lot shorter than they did coming in for a groom. Cutting the nails too short is painful, since they still have to walk around on it, but leaving the nails too long can also affect the way they walk. Letting the nails grow without any other natural way to grind them down can lead to something even more painful than being quicked; having the nail grow into the leg or pawpads, which can lead to nasty infections and vet bills.
This is an easily prevented scenario! If you feel your pooch’s nails are still too long after a bath or groom, bring them back every two weeks for a nail trim until the nails are at a good length. After that the nails can be done monthly. Not only will your pup get used to the attention on it’s feet, but the quick will slowly recede as the nail is cut.
Grinding (as previously mentioned) has gained popularity because of the decreased chance of cutting into the quick. Using guillotine style nail trimmers are perfect for taking off a long tip, but are more likely to cause pain if you are too close to the quick due to the pinching or crushing action of the trimmer. If you or anyone else has cut the quick of the nail of any dog and it is bleeding just a bit, taking a little bit of all-purpose flour can do the trick and stop the bleeding fairly easily. However, if perhaps the dog kicked or nudged and has been quicked badly it is smart to visit or call your veterinarian. With a badly quicked nail, do your best to make sure they do not get too excited (a spike in heart rate can cause it to bleed again) and do not dig at anything until it is scabbed over.
Work with your dogs and puppies to ensure relaxed foot care. Stick your fingers in between their pads and tug gently on toes, even use a buzzy electric toothbrush to get them used to the sensation. Bother them with these methods until they simply no longer respond. Simple steps can make for a wonderful and fun experience at the groomers!